


Ginger All-Spice

by Rockingham



Category: Choices: High School Story: Class Act (Visual Novel)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28231443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rockingham/pseuds/Rockingham
Summary: Bailey had a tradition every year, building gingerbread houses with her family. This year she wanted to include her girlfriend in the tradition and maybe start some new traditions to celebrate the holiday season.
Relationships: Skye Crandall & Main Character (High School Story: Class Act), Skye Crandall/Main Character (High School Story: Class Act)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	Ginger All-Spice

“I’m pretty sure there’s more frosting on you than the gingerbread house.”

Bailey looked up from her intense concentration on the sugary house in front of her. In her work she hadn't even heard the diner bell chime to signal someone had entered. The blonde had taken up residence in a corner booth surrounded by bowls of various holiday themed candies in small bowls and a large tray with slabs of gingerbread forming a wobbly looking house loosely held together with rows of icing.

Bailey grinned when she noticed her girlfriend, decked out in a slightly too big for her black sweater underneath a heavy black winter coat and dark wash jeans. Stray snowflakes still clung to her red hair and black beanie. Black lips were pulled into a fond smile as Bailey stood up quickly to greet her, causing the redhead to backup motioning to Bailey's icing covered hands and forearms.

“Don’t even think about it,” Skye warned, but her voice held no bite to it as Bailey slipped a hand around her wrist only smearing a little icing onto pale skin before she pulled Skye into a quick kiss and went back to her hard work. Skye slid into the seat across for her in the booth, looking over the mess in front of Bailey, barely contained by the large cookie sheet Bailey had been using as a base for her house, “that doesn’t look structurally sound either.”

“What are you, the gingerbread inspector? I’m still working on structural integrity!”

“Mmhmm,” Skye hummed as she watched for a few seconds, Bailey could tell by the calculating look in those dark blue eyes that Skye was trying to figure out the most effective way to stack the gingerbread into the house form that Bailey was trying to go for. The house wobbled in Bailey’s attempt to make a two-story gingerbread house, using hand-cut pieces of gingerbread that she and her mother had baked earlier that evening. The smell of gingerbread still clung to the air, warm and spiced in a way that always reminded Bailey of Christmas.

“Want to help?” Bailey asked as Skye’s eyes snapped up to her, “I bet I could make sure of your set designing skills.”

“I’m afraid gingerbread isn’t in my wheelhouse.”

“Oh so was all your talk about my structural integrity null and void then?”

Bailey grinned as the redhead mulled over the little challenge. Unfortunately before Skye could form a retort, the walls of Bailey’s gingerbread house slipped out of place and fell to the tray she had been using to try to somewhat control the unruly mess she was creating. The house made a sad sound as it crashed into the metal, frosting smearing on the walls and roof. Skye only smirked, which Bailey returned with a pout of her own.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Skye offered with a smile, “but if yours looks like that, who did the ones in the display?”

“Oh, my dad did those, and Casey. It’s tradition that we all make a house to put into the display during the holiday season. It's turned into a Cedar Cove tradition. A lot of shops here put up little gingerbread displays.”

Skye hummed a little, tilting her head at the display.

“Cute, my parents didn’t have any of those traditions. We didn’t even decorate the tree ourselves. My mom used to hire someone every year to come in and do all the decorating for us.”

“That’s no fun, we do the tree together every year. It gives my parents an excuse to recount all the stories behind our special ornaments.”

Skye tilted her head more, “what do you mean?”

“You know, like those ‘Baby’s first Christmas’ ones or the ones Casey or I made in elementary school? My mom’s favorite is this reindeer one I made in fourth grade.”

It was a particularly embarrassing little ornament. They had used their school photos to put inside the ornament as the reindeer’s head, but Bailey had accidentally cut off her ears when she cut the picture to stick it into the photo area on the deer’s head. Casey said the sight of earless Bailey gave him nightmares.

“Oh, my parents didn’t display any of those even though I remember Brian or I bringing some home in elementary and middle school.”

Bailey only nodded, she imagined the holidays being a very dull affair in the Crandall household. Skye had told horror stories about it before. The very day was filled with dressing nice and business dinners and pretending to be the perfect family. This was the first year Skye was truly free from all of it. After Skye refused to accept her parent’s apology at Spotlite last Spring, they started ignoring her more, apparently after a few months their patience wore thin and they started acting like Skye wasn’t around when they happened to be in the same room. It was proof that not only did they lie about their apology, they were angry that Skye didn’t give in like they were used to her doing, so they continuously tried to raise the stakes to force Skye back into her place. 

That included no eating with them, no cook to prepare food for her, several invasive searches of her room which caused Skye to start moving her possessions between Bailey, Rory, and Ajay's houses, and whatever else her parents used tried to get her to comply.

They locked her out of the house once, and that left Bailey seething.

They had even tried to vandalize Skye's part time job at the Golden Griddle. They forged several calls complaining about Skye as if they were customers and demanding she be fired. However Bailey's parents were far smarter, they knew Skye's work ethic and had understood Skye's struggle enough to want to help her. And it helped that half the time Skye didn’t work face to face with customers. Skye usually bussed tables, washed dishes, helped with all the technical work her father couldn’t figure out, and helped Bailey wait tables with larger parties to get more comfortable working with people. The entire act had been a disgusting and pathetic display.

The Crandall's horrific acts were fueled by the fact that they were officially left without an heir to take over the Crandall business, and that meant they resented their two children even more. Skye had told her once that she overheard her mother trying to bribe Brian to shove himself back into their mold, but the older boy refused.

The Summer had been a roller coaster. But working with Skye had been a lot of fun. Skye was a hard worker, but customer service was not her strong suit. Or smiling on command, or not acting annoyed when customers were purposefully difficult. She was surprisingly good with certain customers. Families mostly, even though Skye didn’t really like kids, they responded well to her and she was far more patient then she’d give herself credit for. 

Skye’s talents were more tech, and Bailey’s sure her parents have loved having Skye around to help fix things as they broke. Especially when it was the POS system or the jukebox. 

Ajay had helped Skye get a part-time job at the community theatre as a tech gopher early in the Fall. That gig was more seasonal and Skye would really only work it during the Summer and around the holidays when they did their biggest shows. Both Skye was able to save a bit of money, which she dutifully hid since she wasn’t old enough to open a bank account that wasn’t accessible by her parents since she would need a parent co-sign on the account until eighteen.

The sooner Skye could be emancipated from her parents, the sooner she could have more control over her own finances, which was funny because she needed control of her finances to file for child emancipation. A tricky system indeed. It made things harder for Skye to tear away at the strings her parents financially had on her. Until of course Mrs. Silva came in with her own pair of scissors and started trimming away at them herself.

“So this is your first holiday with Mr. and Mrs. Silva. I bet they had all kinds of stories from when Rory was a kid.”

Skye smiled a bit more wickedly at that. She had moved into the Silva house since her parents had decided that both of their children needed “reality checks” and promptly kicked them both out of the house, so Mrs. Silva had announced Skye would live with them, practically helping Skye move and setting up a system so that Skye would be on Silva's mobile plan with Skye paying her every month to help show her financial independence.

“Mrs. Silva’s funny. I almost felt bad for Rory though. She really likes to tell stories about little Rory.”

“Almost?”

“ _ Almost _ .”

Bailey shook her head at her girlfriend. Rory wasn’t that embarrassed at their dorky past self, so Skye’s teasing wasn’t that bad. Rory had admitted that they liked having Skye around. The two got along well and it gave Rory a chance to be a big sibling figure to Skye. A job they took very seriously.

After a moment, Bailey motioned to her ruined house.

“Wanna help me fix this?”

Skye nodded a bit eagerly and Bailey smiled. The two cleaned up Bailey’s previous mess and started brainstorming a new structure. With a little pushing, Bailey got Skye to take the lead on how the house should be set up. After all, with Skye’s experience building sets, the structure of a gingerbread house should be easy. Skye got into the task quickly, almost to the point of forgetting to say hi to Bailey’s mom when the older woman walked over to bring them hot cocoa and see how Bailey was doing in her house.

“Oh look! It’s standing!”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Bailey pouted at her mother’s teasing, “Skye’s helping me so mine’s going to look the best this year when we’re done.”

Skye raised an eyebrow at her as Mrs. Jackson laughed and placed two warm mugs of cocoa on the table for them.

“I see, bringing out the big guns, should I let your father know you enlisted Skye for help?”

“No, she’s  _ my _ secret weapon!” Bailey laughed, “If you tell him, he’ll try to get Skye to help him make his look better too. And Skye’s too nice and will say yes!”

“Hey!”

“You know it’s true,” Bailey pushed at her girlfriend’s protest.

“I will drop this roof.”

“Don’t you dare! I don’t have enough gingerbread to cut a new one.”

“And I have the gingerbread recipe, so it looked like the stakes are high,” Mrs. Silva laughed, “your father just put in another batch, something about wanting to add a clock-tower to the little village. I’m sure he can spare some if you need it.”

Mrs. Jackson laughed as she left the two. Bailey watched as Skye skillfully added the roof and pipped some of the icing to add some texture for roof tiles after Bailey gave a quick demo and worked on half the roof while Skye tried her hand on the other half.

Bailey watched her girlfriend with fond eyes. It was always a treat to see Skye really get into something she enjoyed. Her dark blue eyes sparkled as the roof proved to be structurally sound enough to add a little chimney. The little door and windows were added next. It's mid-piping that Skye seemed to realize she had completely taken over the project.

"Sorry, I kind of stole your house."

"It's okay," Bailey hummed as she reached over and brushed some of the red hair out of Skye's face, "I like watching you work."

Skye blushed, averting Bailey's gaze as a goofy smile carved its way onto black lips. Bailey pulled her hand away, letting her fingertips graze Skye's jaw as she pulled away. Blue eyes found green as the two looked into each other's eyes. Bailey's gaze lingered to Skye's lips for a moment, instantly giggling at the faint trace of icing from her fingertips that resided against Skye's pale skin.

"Now you're covered in icing too, no more teasing me."

Skye blinked as if she hadn't been paying attention. It took an extra second for Bailey's words to register and another for the redhead to finally wipe at her own jaw, revealing the traces of icing.

"You're lucky you're cute."

Bailey only smiled as Skye busied herself with a few smaller pieces of gingerbread. 

"So, you said Cedar Cove has a gingerbread house contest?"

"Oh yeah! We have our own family contest but there's also a contest for the entire town. All of the shops on this street enter. The winner gets a cash prize. This year we will not lose to Dale's Donuts!" Bailey announced as she shook her fist in vengeance.

"... they do have good donuts."

"Do not be swayed by their cheap pastry! You know my mom's chocolate croissants are better!"

Skye laughed at Bailey's suddenly serious tone.

"Yes, they are. Sorry I wasn't aware of your beef with Dale's Donuts."

"They're a  _ chain _ ," Bailey added, a scandalized tone in her voice as she over-dramatically moved her hands as she spoke, "a sad donut chain who somehow wields masterful ability with gingerbread, bastards."

"What I'm hearing is, you want to vandalize their storefront."

"What? No!"

"Yes!" Bailey's dad called over with a laugh, clearly having overheard while he helped bus a few tables, "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"No vandalizing! We will destroy them fair and square!" 

Mr. Jackson laughed and turned the corner to go back to the kitchen. Skye shook her head at the absurdity of it all while Bailey watched her work on their shared gingerbread house. 

"Anyway, we usually set a few in the window. The winner gets announced on the twenty-third and then there's a block party to celebrate everyone's hard work over the Christmas season."

Bailey rested her chin on her hand as she watched Skye work. They fell into a comfortable silence as the hustle and bustle of the diner flowed around them.

"You're staring."

Skye pointed out as she worked, tilting her head up at Bailey with a little smirk.

"I can't help it, my girlfriend's really pretty. Especially when she's invested in gingerbread architecture and hasn't noticed she got sprinkles in her hair yet."

Skye blinked as Bailey giggled. The blonde reached over and brushed a few stray sprinkles from the ends of Skye's long hair. After a few minutes of reaching, Bailey stood and moved so she could sit next to Skye in the booth. She pushed Skye's hair over her shoulders to prevent more stray hair in the sugary concoctions in front of them. Bailey let her hand brush the side of Skye's neck as she brushed she pushed back auburn hair. Blue eyes locked on to hers for a moment before Skye looked back at her work in front of her, a faint red blush rising to her face.

Bailey continued to watch as Skye's movements got more distracted. Her intense focus from earlier was non-existent as she fiddled with creating a thin drawing with a toothpick and icing on her little mini-house like structure she had created. Bailey bit her lip before shifting over to sit next to Skye.

"What are you making now?"

"Doghouse," Skye turned the little house on her hands to show the cute little dog drawn into the gingerbread with a thin line of icing.

"Cute, but you seem distracted, what's on your mind?"

Bailey grinned as she asked. She had an idea of what had stolen the other girl's attention, but she couldn't resist teasing her more. Skye flashed her a smirk as she leaned closer so only Bailey could hear.

"Just about how if we weren't sitting in your parent's diner I'd be kissing you right now."

Bailey wanted nothing more in that moment then to pull the other girl in by the stupid beanie and kiss her. Bailey bit her bottom lip, watching as blue eyes followed the movement.

"I think you should kiss me anyway."

Skye's laugh is light. She leaned over and pressed a teasingly feather light kiss to Bailey's lips, leaving only a trace of warm chocolate flavor from the hot chocolate as she pulled away. Bailey smiled fondly at her girlfriend as she pulled away. She grinned bigger at Skye’s shy face.

“You’re cute, you know that.”

“Only you seem to think so.”

“Oh no, everyone who’s met you knows how cute you are.”

“Please stop calling me cute,” Skye tried to sigh but her smile gave her away, “Want to go to the park tonight?” 

“You suddenly have the urge to go to the park? Feeling Christmas-y now that we’ve been gingerbread building?”

"Maybe" Skye smiled, "Or maybe I just want to go on a date with you. I'll even treat you to those weird roasted chestnuts that you unironically like for some reason."

"Tease all you want, they're great and they taste like Christmas."

"So, is that a yes?"

"Of course it's a yes! It's all my favorite things; Christmas lights, food, and my amazing girlfriend."

Skye's smile got a little brighter as the two fell back into silence, working on the house. Bailey used a toothpick as the support of a little marshmallow snowman while Skye added sprinkle accents to the windows and door frame of the house.

"So how do you win the contest? Do the judges eat the houses too?"

"No, I mean, I don't know many people who actually eat the gingerbread house."

Skye looked over at Bailey like it was the most unusual concept she'd ever heard of.

"What's the point of making it with gingerbread then? Couldn't you use cardboard and paint it that dark color and no one would know the difference?"

"You're right. I bet that's how Dale's Donuts won last year," Bailey offered as if it was a newly uncovered conspiracy theory, "we use a different recipe for the gingerbread house gingerbread then we do the gingerbread people gingerbread. This stuff is a little sturdier to build with."

Skye frowned a bit in confusion as she processed the info. Bailey smiled a little, watching as Skye focused on arranging more candy around the perimeter of the house. Bailey slipped out of the booth for a moment, ducking behind the counter and grabbing one of the gingerbread people cookies before returning, sitting close to Skye until their shoulders bumped together.

"See, the gingerbread we make to sell as cookies are a little softer and lighter in color then our house gingerbread. Taste."

Bailey held the cookie out to Skye, who eagerly bit off the poor gingerbread person's arm. Bailey smiled watching the little smile forming on Skye's face. Bailey dipped the cookie in some of the remainder of hot chocolate in Skye's glass, alternating between taking bites of the cookie and feeding bites to Skye as she worked. After a few minutes the house was complete, Skye grinned at her shyly once the little scene before them was complete.

"It looks so cute," Bailey grinned as she gripped Skye's hand, "thank you for helping, inspector. I'm sure the house is up to code now."

"Looks good to me, might even survive an earthquake," Skye agreed as Mrs. Jackson walked over.

"Looks great girls! I can get that set up in the display."

After a few minutes of cleaning the two grabbed their jackets and headed out the door. A thin sheet of fresh snow coated Cedar Cove. A few flurries fell from the sky as they walked down the street to the park. Bailey slipped her hand into Skye's as they walked, swinging it back and forth in time to the tune of "Last Christmas" as he played through the streets from one of the shop's speakers. The park entrance was decked out in greenery and Christmas lights. An assortment of vendors had booths up selling holiday themed treats as people walked through the various light displays. Skye disappeared from her side for a moment, returning with the promised roasted chestnuts.

Bailey munched on the snack as they walked down the path leading to various snow sculptures. An array of snowmen and igloos were carefully assorted while empty space remained for others to add to the professional display. Skye's warm hand held Bailey's as they walked. The smell of peppermint and chocolate mixed in the air as some smaller children and couples built snowmen or gazed at lights.

Skye tugged her down the path, away from where most of the louder couples and children. Bailey smiled as they passed rows of decorated trees, fresh snow crunching under their feet. 

"Is so pretty," Bailey said softly, as she would disturb the beauty if she spoke louder.

Skye hummed in agreement next to her, but when Bailey glanced over she noticed her girlfriend was glancing at her more than the scenery around them. The absolute lovable dork that she was. Bailey giggled and bumped Skye's shoulder a bit as they walked, looking up to see how the multicolored reflected off Skye's red hair. 

"You're not looking."

"I am," Skye's retort was unconvincing as she pulled Bailey closer, wrapping an arm around her torso. Bailey giggled as the two glided together in a makeshift dance as the slow tempo of an acoustic  _ All I Want For Christmas Is You _ started playing softly through the speakers running throughout the park.

"At the lights, Skye."

Bailey shook her head as she let her arms wrap about Skye's shoulders.

"I can see them just fine from here."

Bailey looked into the other girl's eyes. Dark blue eyes reflected the Christmas lights like multicolored stars in her eyes. She wondered if Skye could see something similar in her eyes.

"It's always quiet here at this time. It's my favorite time to come and just enjoy everything."

"You do have a knack for finding the most peaceful places."

"I've been wanting to come here with you. That's why I came to the diner today."

Skye paused, a slight blush covering her face.

"I'm glad I did. I had fun building the gingerbread house with you. I forget regular families have traditions like that. It made me think… that I'd want to do things like that with you every year."

"Start our own traditions," Bailey's smile grew as a hopeful look brightened Skye's eyes, "does that mean I get to dance with you like this every year?"

"I-if you want to."

"I want to. But I also want to share some of my traditions with you. Like the gingerbread houses, and homemade hot chocolate, and Christmas dinner."

"You want me to come over for Christmas dinner?"

Bailey nodded.

"Please?"

"I don't want to intrude," Skye said unsurely, "I already feel bad for butting into the Silvas’ holiday."

"You're not intruding. I want you to be part of our traditions. I want to share these things with you. And you don't have to worry about it being awkward because Erin will be there too!"

"Do I have to dress up or?"

"God no. But if I can make a request, I do love you in that haunted snowman sweater I got for you."

"Got it," Skye laughed, a little of the nervousness leaving her body, "I'd love to have dinner with you. As long as you're okay with me being awkward. I don't really know how normal Christmas works."

"Well then, you should know that you have to hold my hand all day for good luck."

"Uh huh."

"And we have to walk under the mistletoe and you have to kiss me. Christmas law."

"I wasn't aware that was law," Skye grinned as her grip on Bailey's waist got tighter, "but what if there is no mistletoe and I want to kiss you?"

"Then kiss me."

Skye closed the gap, capturing Bailey's lips hungrily as Bailey's arms tightened around Skye's neck. One of Bailey's hands rested on the back of Skye's neck, fingertips playing with soft, cold hair as warm lips moved against her own. Bailey felt Skye's hands graze up her back, pulling her impossibly closer as she deepened the kiss. 

Bailey's left breathless as Skye pulled away for a moment, teeth teasing Bailey's lip before reconnecting their lips. Bailey felt her fingers grip Skye's hair tighter as the kiss grew a bit gentler, not as urgent as before until Skye's lips were moving against hers more softly.

"I love you."

Skye's voice was quiet, her breath blending with Bailey's as she rested their foreheads together. Bailey could barely make out the small snowflakes hanging on to her eyelashes.

"I love you too."

Bailey moved her head to Skye's shoulder, enjoying the feeling of being in her girlfriend's arms. The warmth fending off the winter chill as Skye's hand moved in soft circles on her shoulder blades. 

"Hey, Skye?"

Bailey moved her head slightly pressing a light kiss to Skye's cheek as she moved.

"Hmm?"

" _ Do you wanna build a snowman _ ?"

Skye's laughter vibrated against Bailey as she shook her head, a dreamy little smile still clinging to her face.

"Only if you promise not to sing the entire  _ Frozen _ soundtrack again."

"Deal."

Unfortunately, Skye said nothing about the  _ Frozen 2 _ soundtrack. 


End file.
